Game dart flight grooming device and method

Abstract

A device for grooming game dart flights includes spaced cooperating cutting blades defining a recess for receiving dart flights and for grooming the flights by smoothing or trimming between the blades.

I claim: 
     
       1. A device for grooming dart flights comprising a handle, a pair of cooperating, spaced blades extending longitudinally from the handle, each blade mounted to the handle and having outer and inner faces, upstanding side edges, and a top edge, the spaced blades defining a flight receiving recess along their inner faces for receiving and smoothing or trimming damaged flights, each of the blades having at least one side edge bevelled to a cutting edge so that a flight is groomed as it passes through the recess, and the outer surfaces of the blades being fitted with pads for applying inward pressure moving the blades to engage a flight occupying the recess. 
     
     
       2. A device as defined in claim 1 which further includes a removable protective cap for the blades. 
     
     
       3. A device as defined in claim 1 in which each blade top edge is blunt. 
     
     
       4. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the blades are spaced 0.5 mm to 4 mm apart. 
     
     
       5. A device for grooming dart flights comprising a handle, a pair of cooperating, spaced blades extending longitudinally from the handle, each blade mounted to the handle and having outer and inner faces, upstanding side edges, and a top edge, the spaced blades defining a flight receiving recess along their inner faces for receiving and smoothing or trimming damaged flights, each of the blades having at least one side edge bevelled to a cutting edge so that a flight is groomed as it passes through the recess, and the outer surfaces of each blade and cutting edge being covered by a shield. 
     
     
       6. A method for grooming nicks from the flights of game darts utilizing a device having a handle mounting confronting grooming blades having inner and outer faces, with the blades spaced apart to define a flight receiving recess, and with the blades having a sharp edge, comprising the steps of: a. positioning a dart flight in the recess between the blades,   b. applying pressure directly to the outer faces of the blades so that their inner faces engage the surface of the dart flight, and   c. while maintaining the applied pressure, drawing the inner faces of the blades over the flight to smooth nicks.   
     
     
       7. The method of claim 6 which further includes the step of cutting away damaged portions of a flight by drawing the the sharp edge through the damaged portion while slightly twisting the flight.